Images

A close-up photo taken just before dawn of the lava fountains in the western part of Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, on December 30, 2024. These lava fountains are consistently reaching 30 m (100 ft) high and building a spatter cone that is about 20 m (65 ft) high, 95 m (310 ft) long, and 60 m (200 ft) wide. Photo by U.S. Geological Survey geologist D.

This aerial photo was captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight on the morning of Monday, December 30, 2024, providing a southwest-looking overview of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Fountaining at Kīlauea summit has increased in vigor on December 29. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists on the crater rim the morning of December 29 observed an increase in height throughout their field shift, up to about 40 m (130 feet). Lava effusion was also starting to form a perched lava pond in front of the vents. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

This map shows deformation at Kīlauea volcano associated with the ongoing eruption that started on December 23, 2024. The image covers the timespan from December 17–29, 2024, using data acquired by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1A satellite. Colored fringes denote areas of ground deformation, with more fringes indicating more deformation. Each

A telephoto view of the fountaining within Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) observed by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists the morning of December 29 from the south rim of the crater. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This photo was taken later on December 29, when lava fountains at Kīlauea's summit were approximately 130 feet (40 meters) high. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Sufficient spatter was being deposited to produce a spatter-fed flow down the steep eruptive vent rampart at Kīlauea summit on December 29. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Passing showers on the morning of December 29 at Kīlauea summit produced a rainbow (known in Hawaiian as an "Ānuenue") visible near the active lava fountaining. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

On December 29, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists collected scaled video of lava fountaining as well as laser rangefinder measurements of fountain heights and crater floor elevations. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Several koa‘e kea birds (white-tailed tropicbirds) were flying circles above the Kīlauea summit eruptive vent on December 29, riding thermal updrafts from the lava pond. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This zoom view of the three active eruptive vents within Halemaʻumaʻu was captured during a morning visit to the crater's southern rim by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists on Saturday, December 28, 2024.

Maintenance of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's instrumental monitoring network is an ever-ongoing process, but it is especially important during eruptions. Here, two scientists perform repairs on a gas monitoring station located just west of Kaluapele—Kīlauea's summit caldera—on Saturday, December 28, 2024.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists captured this overview photo of Kīlauea's summit eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu during a morning visit to the crater's southern rim on Saturday, December 28, 2024. Three eruptive vents were active at the time, spattering and feeding lava flows that spread out in a fan shape on the southwestern crater floor. USGS photo by M.

This aerial view shows the June 2023 vent on the south side of Halema‘uma‘u crater during a helicopter overflight at 10 a.m. HST on December 27, 2024. Pauses in the recent eruption that began on December 23 have resulted in drainback, during which some of the erupted lava drains back into the vent.

Lava fountains reached heights of up to 80 meters (262 feet) high during the December 23-25, 2024, Kīlauea summit eruption and tephra was deposited to the south across the old Crater Rim Drive (a closed part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park). In this photo, taken around 10 a.m.

Since the December 2020 eruption began, an "island" of low-density tephra and lava has been submerged and floated on the surface of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake through each successive eruption.

This oblique aerial photo was captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight on the morning of Friday, December 27, 2024, providing a northeast-looking overview of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Eruptive activity at Kīlauea around 7 a.m. HST on December 27, 2024, was minimal, with only a few sluggish lava flows oozing out from one of the vents that formed over the past few days. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

During the morning of December 27, 2024, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews observed only weak effusive activity at the December 23-27, 2024, eruptive vents in Halema‘uma‘u. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

During a helicopter overflight on the morning of Friday, December 27, 2024, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists were provided a low-level view of the eruptive vents in the western wall of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea volcano.

Tephra accumulated in deep drifts downwind of the lava fountains at the summit of Kīlauea. The thickest portion was approximately a half meter (yard) deep, requiring USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory geologists to use 4WD to navigate through this closed portion of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by M. Patrick.